I really believe in the necessity for artists to create opportunities for themselves… and to learn how to do so if they don’t know how!
Personally, besides experimenting in 2010 with a host of new sculpture materials, working out for myself a sustainable sculpture practice strategy, starting not just one artist blog but two, and undertaking commissions for an art collector in Aberdeen, one in Washington D.C., another for the University of Virginia plus a further one for the Port Authority in Toronto, Canada – I’ve initiated this year a large-scale community sculpture project on one continent (USA), and created for myself on another continent a 14 month artist residency on a Ducal estate in England, which I have just embarked on.
As artist-in-residence here at Belvoir Castle & Estate, thanks to my energetic art patron the Duchess of Rutland, I have pretty much carte blanche to initiate a host of activities that will not only satisfy me and further my art practice (extending it from artist-maker to artist-organiser), also and more importantly I will be in a position to help other artists further their practices.
Today I received the “go-ahead” for an ambitious sculpture trail, the Belvoir “3Rs – Reclaimed, Recycled – Raw” which is a total blast as I will be offering an opportunity for a number of emerging environmentally conscious artists at various levels of their art education to create artwork from junk/waste, disused stuff and sustainable raw materials locally sourced.
I would love to discuss starting a collaborative project by experienced artists / makers that results in a compendium of successful actions undertaken to create such art opportunities for themselves and for other artists.
This could be a useful tool for youngsters studying art at all levels – for art education. I welcome collaborators on this. Do get in touch if you have an interest or something to contribute to the project!
